KC Edventures Guide for Ages 9-11

Toy & Miniature Museum

Ever wonder what your parents and grandparents played with when they were kids? You’ll find some of their favorite toys and games at the museum – and some of your favorites too! Peek into dollhouses to see what kids use to play with 100 years ago, visit a huge room filled with marbles and see all kinds of teddy bears, airplanes, trains and tea sets.

Before Your Visit:

Find out what areas of the museum or what types of toys your kids are interested inseeing: dollhouses, marbles, miniatures, mechanical toys.

Start a fun read-aloud book:

Explore the Toy & Miniature Museum:

Stroll through the miniature gallery and think about how someone was able to make all those tiny items – it really boggles the mind! Some of the musical instruments actually work!

Dollhouses – here’s a challenge for you & your kids: pick one of the old Victorian dollhouses, and find out how many items were created using recycled items that a child in the 1800’s may have found. Which items could you make for your own dollhouse, using recycled items?

Gaze into the small houses and view some surprises in the ‘Peep Show’ area of the museum.

Have a tea set at home? Stop by area #26 to see a variety of children’s tea sets and choose which one is your favorite.

Play marble games in the Marble Room, and admire the 1,000,000 marbles in the museum’s collection – one of the largest in the world! Which color do you think is the most common among marbles?

Don’t forget to pick up a museum Scavenger Hunt guide and go on a hunt during your visit.

Learn More:

Discover More:

One of the reasons museums like this exist is because of generous donors who give their personal collections to museums to allow others to view them. Do you collect anything? If not, consider starting a collection today – toys, stamps, coins, etc.

Visit Moon Marble to learn how marbles are made, and learn to play marble games.

Ask your parents and grandparents if they have any old or antique toys from when they were younger.